Posts by: Rick W.

Useful To Others

Useful To Others

This weekend I heard  “Reno John” speak at the 37th Annual Gathering of Eagles in Dallas, TX and he was amazing.  He said something in his talk that made me stop and think…. he said (and I paraphrase), “There are 72 references to the statement, “useful to others” in the first 164 pages.” I went …

Something That I Was Not Doing

Something That I Was Not Doing

First, before I jump into this post, I need to apologize for the very few posts I have been creating as my last writing was in February (2 months ago).  There are no excuses but there is a reason…. I’m privileged to be a sitting Delegate for one of our 93 Delegate areas in the …

12 Things I Wish I’d Known As A Newcomer

12 Things I Wish I’d Known As A Newcomer

When I was living in NYC (2002-2016) I remember one night sitting in a meeting at my home group (a beginners meeting), and there was a girl in her early 20’s who was attending her very first A.A. meeting. She sounded confused and frightened. She, and the other newcomers in the room, were given some …

The Magic Bullet

The Magic Bullet

Over the last 35 years I’ve worked with many alcoholics that wished from the bottom of their hearts that there was some sort of magic bullet that could get them to an easy and happy sobriety. They want a quick fix (we alcoholics are so undisciplined).  They want a ready answer to the woes they …

The Squirrels Died of Exhaustion

The Squirrels Died of Exhaustion

I was at a meeting at my home group several days ago and a man who was visiting our group from across town said two things that really blew me away in his share…. he said: “Alcoholics Anonymous is the only place where you can walk in the door and in one breath both ask …

Transformation CAN Occur

Transformation CAN Occur

Daily Reflections – November 23 “HOLD YOUR FACE TO THE LIGHT” Believe more deeply. Hold your face up to the Light, even though for the moment you do not see. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 3 One Sunday in October, during my morning meditation, I glanced out the window at the ash tree in our …

Gratitude FOR / Gratitude IN

Gratitude FOR / Gratitude IN

In the month of November in A.A., we can go to any number of meetings that will focus on gratitude.  In early sobriety, I used to literally get nauseous when I would walk into a meeting and hear that was what the topic was going to be.  I mean seriously?!?!?! What do I have to …

Ebby T.’s Surrender Problem

Ebby T.’s Surrender Problem

Good morning family… I was sitting down this week looking at some of our A.A. history with another member and ran across an interesting writing about Ebby T. After reading it, we both thought how sad that some people simply cannot surrender enough to “get it.” “Ebby T. had originally sobered up and “given his …

On Awakening…

On Awakening…

Last night, I was sitting in a book study with my sponsor and sponsor brothers, and we spent the entire meeting focusing on page 86 in Step 11, “Into Action.” I love how my sponsor had us go through each line of the book starting with “On awakening…”  We broke it down and he helped …